Alignment coupler for linear device

Abstract

A linear device includes a housing supporting a central hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder and a pair of support shafts on either side of the central cylinder. The cylinder includes a longitudinally-moveable piston rod which is attached at its distal end to a tooling plate. An alignment coupler is received within a cavity in the tooling plate, and interconnects the cylinder piston rod and the tooling plate. The alignment coupler includes an annular bearing pad with an inner planar surface disposed adjacent an inner endwall of the cavity, and an outer convex curved surface facing away from the inner endwall. A T-shaped operating rod is disposed within the cavity having an annular shoulder flange with a concave curved inner surface adjacent to the curved surface of the bearing pad, and a convex curved outer surface. An annular bearing washer is disposed in the cavity against the shoulder flange of the operating rod and has a concave curved inner surface adjacent to the convex curved outer surface on the shoulder flange. A threaded end cap is received within the opening to the cavity in the tooling plate, and retains the bearing pad, the operating rod and the bearing washer within the cavity. The end cap includes a central aperture through which the stem of the operating rod extends. The distal end of the operating rod has a threaded opening to receive the threaded end of the cylinder drive piston. The configuration of the adjacent surfaces of the bearing pad, the operating rod shoulder flange, and the bearing washer enables the operating rod to move in rotational and angular relation within the cavity. Moreover, the outer peripheral dimensions of the bearing pad, the operating rod shoulder flange and the bearing washer are less than the inner diameter of the cavity, such that the operating rod can also move laterally between the sidewalls in the cavity.